Features
Wells Fargo Center’s $250M ‘Transformation 2020’ Includes New L-Acoustics Sound System, 4K TAIT Scoreboard
– Wells Fargo Center
After just announcing it would have the world’s first Kinetic 4K Center-Hung Entertainment System with TAIT, Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia has announced the next chapter of “Transformation 2020,” the $250 million multi-year improvement project.
The next wave of enhancements, set to be completed by the fall of 2019, include 8,000 brand-new seats within the lower bowl, concierge-style box office and dynamic LED video and lighting system.
“We’re thrilled to introduce another set of major enhancements as part of our ‘Transformation 2020’ initiative,” said Valerie Camillo, President of Business Operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center. “The Wells Fargo Center is Philadelphia’s home for excitement, where our favorite athletes and artists perform amazing feats. Our arena upgrades are designed to match the excitement on the ice, court, and concert stage – lifting the fan experience to a higher level.”
The all-new seating in the lower bowl, which accounts for 40 percent of the arena’s total capacity, promises to deliver an upgraded level of comfort to those who choose to sit during live events. The lower bowl’s new seats will match the models installed on the Mezzanine Level last summer. The 2019 lower bowl makeover will mark the last of the original “Spectrum Red” seats inside the Wells Fargo Center, as they will depart to finish a sleek, unified look throughout the venue.
The announcement touts the expansion and redesign of the main concourse level’s central plaza, which will adopt a “bistro meets marketplace” feel with an additional 4,000 square feet of open concourse space and an abundance of new seating.
The new Kinetic 4K system features 65 percent more LED screen real estate than the Wells Fargo Center’s current hung model and features an unprecedented ability to transform and be configured in a variety of formats to best highlight the action below.
“Comcast Spectacor is proud to highlight the next phase of the Wells Fargo Center’s ‘Transformation 2020’ initiative with the first Kinetic 4K center-hung ever to be installed in a professional sports venue,” said Valerie Camillo, President of Business Operations, Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center. “Together with technology partners like ANC and Comcast, the Wells Fargo Center continues to innovate and further our commitment to be the most technologically advanced arena in the world.”
Another upgrade is the new L-Acoustics K2/K1-SB sound system, designed by global technology solutions provider Diversified, headquartered in nearby Kenilworth, N..J.
The lightweight system solves a major issue that all sports venues face today: the need to provide complete and consistent coverage and high SPL to each and every seat in the house while at the same time avoiding interference with sightlines to video screens.
“The L-Acoustics K2 system hit all of the main points for this project, like power and coverage, but the decision was also driven by budget, and L-Acoustics was able to provide the performance this installation needed within the project’s budget guidelines,” says Justo Gutierrez, Diversified’s Director of AV and Sound, Sports & Live Events. “But just as importantly, L-Acoustics was also the choice of the exceptionally knowledgeable Wells Fargo Center operations staff.”
Wells Fargo Center landed at No. 9 on Pollstar’s 2018 Year End Top 200 Arenas Chart based on ticket sales, with 843,744 tickets reported sold. Recent boxoffice reports include Twenty One Pilots Oct. 28, which sold out at 13,550 tickets and grossed $1.03 million, Metallica Oct. 25 (18,545, $2.38 million) and Florence + The Machine Oct. 14, which sold 9,714 tickets and grossed $658,322.